Howard Linebarger

Howard Jean Linebarger Sr., 81, of Logandale, Nev., passed away Wednesday, June 5, 2013, in St. George, Utah.

He was born March 31, 1932, in Cape Girardeau, to Walter Howard and Rose Etta Wismann Linebarger. He married Fannie Boncile Dykes on Oct. 14, 1955, in Wewahitchka, Fla.

Howard grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River in Southeast Missouri. His love for chemistry and curiosity led to a career as a chemical engineer in the aerospace industry. He graduated from Southeast Missouri State University.

He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War at Tyndall Air Force Base in northern Florida.

During his time in service he met Fannie in Port St. Joe, Fla., and they soon returned to Missouri, where they had the first of four children. The family continued to grow and eventually moved west to settle in Salinas, Calif., where they stayed to raise the family.

After retirement, Howard and Fannie returned to Missouri so that Howard could spend more time with his aging mother. After her passing in 2005, they spent winters at their son's home in Logandale, and in January 2013 made Logandale their permanent home.

Howard loved the outdoors, spending many family weekends hunting and fishing. He had a great sense of humor, was knowledgeable on a wide variety of subjects and loved to speak with others.

Survivors include his wife, Fannie of Logandale; a son, Michael of Logandale; two daughters, Rebecca (Carlos) Rodriguez and Hope Philips of Salinas; eight grandchildren; a great-grandchild; three sisters, Joyce Nussbaum of Austin, Texas, Dolores Gerhardt of Cape Girardeau and Nancy (James) Stone of Farmington, Mo.

He was preceded in death by a son, Howard Jean Linebarger Jr., and a granddaughter, Leanne.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Moapa Valley Mortuary in Logandale.

Friends and family are invited to sign the online guest book at moapavalleymortuary.com.